Pratt & Whitney this spring held a media event at its Hartford, Connecticut headquarters and provided an overview of its milestones and advances in environmental cleanliness and so on. Some samples:
• EcoPower engine wash will be available for the GE CF34 later this year. The detergent- and pollution-free process uses between 30 and 60 gallons of atomized water to clean an engine’s innards and improve efficiency by 1.2 percent. Cleaning effluent is collected, filtered and the water reused. Service is available at 18 locations serving 66 airports. “If every airline EcoWashed, one billion pounds of fuel and 3.2 billion pounds of [carbon dioxide] CO2 emissions would be saved annually,” said Anupam Bhargava, P&W EcoWash.
• Aviation accounts for 2 percent of CO2 emissions, and jetliners are now achieving 68 passenger mpg. The A380 and 787, however, will take passenger mpg to the mid-70s; and the GTF should add between 12 and 15 passenger mpg to the airplanes it powers, compared with current-technology alternatives.
More In Engines
